G2 Esports scored a compelling victory over KOI in the present day with a stable 3-1 win, acquiring a spot within the 2023 LEC Winter Split finals. A convincing efficiency introduced G2 to victory in what was a 2022 Summer Split last rematch and introduced KOI their first loss for the reason that begin of the group stage this break up.
The historical past between G2 and KOI appears to repeat itself for the reason that two groups proceed to fulfill within the LEC’s higher bracket semifinals. But in contrast to their final face-off in a best-of collection, this time it was G2 who got here out on high in what was the LEC match of the week.
During the primary sport, it was KOI who had the higher hand—till they didn’t anymore. After an excellent early sport dominated by Malrang’s ganks, G2 turned the tide of the sport by capitalizing on KOI’s errors. In explicit, Hans Sama’s efficiency on Miss Fortune was pivotal to G2’s victory because the champion’s injury shredded via the KOI lineup.
The turning level was a teamfight across the Baron pit, throughout which G2 took down KOI’s again line and after which conquered the Baron buff. KOI saved on preventing their opponents throughout the Rift, however with the Ocean Soul and the Baron buff, G2 pushed within the bot lane, taking down KOI’s inhibitor after which their Nexus. The early sport went in favor of KOI, however their opponents discovered a number of essential fights and obtained again within the sport, then snowballed it till the tip.
The second sport of the collection was G2 dominance from begin to end. Being current all around the Rift with proactive performs, G2 saved on taking down members of the enemy group over and over. The Samurais widened the hole between them and KOI by 14,000 gold earlier than the clock hit 25 minutes and had 10 extra kills than KOI. After taking goal after goal on the map, crushing all of KOI’s members a number of occasions, G2 introduced the collection to match level.
But what was “one of the most convincing games seen in a long time,” in accordance with caster Aaron “Medic” Chamberlain, was truly the set off level for KOI’s tried comeback.
Thanks to Malrang’s ganks, KOI gained vital benefits within the early phases of the third sport, thus having the sources to face G2 head-on and win a number of essential fights. G2 initiated a number of targets and fights round them, however it was KOI who over and over crushed their opponents and snatched the prize, whether or not it was a dragon or Baron. But in the end, neither of these was wanted for KOI to take down G2. Comp collected a pentakill in G2’s base proper earlier than destroying their Nexus.
The fourth sport of the match was probably the most hard-fought of the collection, each on and off the Rift. The two groups exchanged blows from the very first minutes of the sport, however each time both group gained a bonus, the opposite struck again instantly, equalizing the state of affairs. This back-and-forth was accompanied by a number of pauses attributable to overseas issues with the sport, which undoubtedly raised the stress in a match that had so much on the road.
Even the fights across the Baron buff saved on being initiated and solved with out both of the groups truly acquiring the target. It all got here to a conclusion when G2 determined to step away from the Baron and decide to the Dragon Soul, taunting KOI to contest the target. The sport was determined in a single struggle, the place G2’s positioning and teamwork have been a step forward of KOI’s. With the Chemtech Soul and the Baron buff in hand, G2 besieged KOI’s base and tore it down till nothing was left.
The Samurais are actually locked in for the 2023 LEC Winter Split finals and are one step away from making it to this yr’s MSI. But very like what occurred throughout final yr’s Summer Split, KOI may nonetheless come again and snatch the title for themselves. Before that, KOI must await SK Gaming and MAD Lions to play on Feb. 24 to see who they’ll must go up in opposition to to attempt to reconquer a spot within the break up finals.
